Mangwe Council appeals to EMA to probe water pollution

Mangwe Rural District Council has called the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) to investigate on the pollution of the Matole and Nxele Dams following reports from Zimnyama villagers that these dams are being polluted by waste from Plumtree town.

Chief Executive Officer of the local authority Midy Mangoye says he received complaints from villagers that their water sources are contaminated from the town.

“What we did as council (Mangwe RDC) was to inform EMA to do investigations because this has now sort of become an environmental issue. It is EMA which is going to advise us on the way forward as council,” he said.

Mangoye also said it is unfortunate that when the community realised the pollution, they did not approach the local authority.

An EMA official in Matebeleland South confirmed Mangwe RDC’s request adding that investigations have started.

Belinda Ncube of Habbakuk Trust, an organisation that has been assisting the villagers confirmed the pollution of the dams and said they are in the process of helping the villagers to lobby the Minister of Water Resources Development Samuel Sipepa Nkomo to intervene.